Sunday, November 7, 2010

First of all, thank god for the time change, because I flat-out NEEDED that extra hour.

Secondly, I probably need another hour, maybe even a whole day. See, here's the thing: My whole goal in life is to take all the curing soap and finished products and get everything stamped and wrapped and labeled and whatever else they need, because some of the orders I'm getting these days are rather large, and life is a LOT better if I can just cruise down the rack of stuff that's ready to ship and sling it all into the box. Plus, I can't keep track of stock if it's in fifteen different stages (and therefore in different spots in the workroom).

So I am trying to catch up. One of the things I'm behind on is lip balms. I have a large order to go to a wholesale client. The lip balms are all made - I poured them and shoved each batch into a ziploc with the name written on the outside. What I have NOT done is apply each finicky label and wrap them in the little shrink wrap tubes.

Here's the thing: the labels have to be carefully applied because they barely fit, and it's easy to overlap the edge of the lid and glue the damn things shut if you don't watch it. Secondly, the tubes are small slippery ovals, and the heat gun blows a wide path, so it's pretty much like trying to shrink wrap an effing minnow while frying the fingerprints right off your hands.

So I put it off. And now I have a big pile of ziploc bags full of cranky little lip balms lying in wait.

I decided to be brave. I jumped in and started working on bag #1, carefully gluing the label down - Honey flavored - and then gave myself third degree burns while shrink wrapping. I was all pleased and proud that I had at least one flavor done, until I noticed that the outside of the ziploc bag I was putting them back into said "Vanilla Mint" instead of "Honey".

But there's a bag over there that ALSO says "Vanilla Mint". And bag #3 that says "Honey". WTF is this bag in front of me? I sealed them all, so I can't pop one open and smell it. And why did I make an extra batch of one of the flavors? And which extra batch did I make? What if it isn't Honey OR Vanilla Mint, but one of the other flavors I was supposed to make? WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?

So, that's my Sunday morning. I am sitting here glaring at a little pile of Heisenberg Uncertainty Balms, and wondering when the skin on my fingers will grow back so I can un-label each one of the little bastards and start over.

That just sucks, Jackie. I don't know your physical pain because I don't shrink wrap lip balms, but you are the shrink wrap queen. Being that you have done all the hard work of making them all and you don't want to make them all again, you might as well open one and assume every single one in that bag is just like that one you open.

Can you just label over the label you put on?

Either way, you'll figure it out because you are Jackie and well, you have Magic Hands!

Jackie, I have looked all over your blog and website for your email address and have not been able to find it.

Since you knew Katie I wanted to let you know that Katie passed away last Thursday, she was 11.

Katie's health over the last few months had been deteriorating. We were at a loss, as was our vet as her x-rays were normal and her blood tested were good. It turns out that cancer in dogs does not generally show up on a standard blood test and after repeated trips to the vet, our vet suggestedthat we take her to a specialist who could perform an ultrasound.

The ultrasound revealed that Katie was suffering from a large tumor pressing against her heart, that was limiting her heart functionality to about 50 percent. This was causing congenital heart failure with one of the symptomscausing her to collect fluids in her abdominal cavity.

Katie also had a smaller tumor on her spleen, which was effecting hercapability to clean her blood and effected her bowels.

We hoped that removing the fluid in her abdomen would make her feel better and give us a little more time with her. But this was not to be as she clearly in pain, became substantially more frail, and would not eat, so we made the decision to have our vet euthanize her.

As you know we don't have kids our pets are that much more important to us, as they are part of our family. Katie was a special case, she was a very gentle dog, even for a Dane, and she loved her life with us, always excited for thesimple things...Always pleased to see us come home, she would greet us at the door happy to see us....I think that is the biggest adjustment for us...

Gretchen and I talked over the weekend and realized that we have had a dog for the last 14 years. First Jake and Elwood, then when Elwood passed away, we adopted Katie from a Great Dane rescue. Jake passed away a few years ago,and now Katie is gone too.

Our hearts hurt because we miss her, but we know that Katie has moved on to her next adventure, and for that we are happy.